Forum: Efforts made to support well-being of students with special needs in mainstream schools
More can be done for well-being of students with special needs ' (July 17) and for sharing his perspective as a parent of a child with autism.
In a recent reply to a Forum letter, '
Building a supportive, safe learning environment for all ' (July 19), we shared that our schools continue to make the efforts to implement a whole-of-school approach to create a nurturing environment that supports all learners. Preventive, educative and restorative measures are adopted to address bullying incidents.
We agree that supporting students with diverse learning needs is a shared responsibility in schools. Building expertise takes time – much like society's journey towards inclusion. Through daily interactions with students and collaborative work with school personnel such as school counsellors and special educational needs (SEN) officers, our teachers continue to hone their skills and develop the confidence to foster positive classroom and school cultures.
The adolescent years present unique challenges for all students, including students with SEN. During this period, the partnership between schools and parents is vital in providing effective support for our students.
Parent-teacher meetings and case conferences help develop strategies that can be implemented both at home and in school. This collaborative approach between parents and school personnel helps students develop essential social skills and self-advocacy strategies, creating a supportive environment that bridges school and home.
The Ministry of Education will continue to build up our efforts to support students with SEN, by working closely with schools, parents and the community so that our education system evolves and remains responsive to diverse learners' needs.
Dayna Chia
Divisional Director, Special Educational Needs Division
Ministry of Education
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
Singapore Two found dead after fire in Toa Payoh flat
Singapore Singaporeans aged 21 to 59 can claim $600 SG60 vouchers from July 22
Singapore Singaporeans continue to hold world's most powerful passport in latest ranking
Singapore Singapore, Vietnam agree to step up defence ties, dialogue between leaders
Asia Malaysia govt's reform pledge tested as DAP chief bows over unresolved 2009 death of political aide
Tech Singapore to increase pool of early adopters in AI to complement data scientists, engineers
Singapore Prosecution says judge who acquitted duo of bribing ex-LTA official had copied defence arguments
Singapore Ports and planes: The 2 Singapore firms helping to keep the world moving
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
15 hours ago
- Straits Times
Legal cannabis blooms in Morocco but black market still beckons
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: A farmer tends to dried cannabis bundle in Ketama, in the northern Rif mountains, Morocco March 12, 2021. Picture taken March 12, 2021. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo BAB BERRED, Morocco - Beneath the blazing summer sun, Abderrahman Talbi surveyed the neat rows of flourishing cannabis blooms in compact fields, reflecting on how his life has changed since he joined Morocco's burgeoning legal cannabis industry two years ago. Like many farmers in the northern Rif mountains who have long grown the crop illegally, Talbi is relieved that raids and seizures by the authorities are no longer a worry. "I can now say I am a cannabis farmer without fear," Talbi told Reuters. "Peace of mind has no price." Talbi's pivot to legal farming is an example of what Morocco, one of the world's biggest cannabis producers, hoped to achieve when it legalised cultivation for medical and industrial use, but not for recreational purposes, in 2022. Regulating cannabis farming brought with it hopes for fresh revenue and economic revitalisation in the impoverished Rif region. The step made Morocco a forerunner among major producing countries and the first in the Middle East and North Africa to join a global trend that has seen countries like Canada, Germany and Uruguay legalise production and use. It also hoped to lure farmers away from the illegal economy in the restive Rif mountains, where cannabis production has long been tolerated to facilitate social peace. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Terrorism threat in Singapore remains high, driven by events like Israeli-Palestinian conflict: ISD Singapore Online platforms have halved time it takes for Singaporeans to be self-radicalised: ISD Singapore 7, including child and firefighter, taken to hospital after fire breaks out in Toa Payoh flat Singapore ICA inspector obtained bribes in the form of sex acts from 6 foreign men in exchange for his help Singapore Doctor who forged certificates for aesthetic procedures gets 4 months' jail Singapore 12 motorists nabbed for providing illegal private-hire services: LTA Life Alone but not lonely: Tips from seniors who live solo and like it Asia Extreme weather turns Beijing into rain trap; 30 killed, over 80,000 evacuated Al Hoceima, a major city in Rif, saw the largest protests in Morocco in 2016-17 over economic and social conditions. BLACK MARKET'S LURE PERSISTS Legalisation efforts have gained traction, with about 5,000 farmers joining the industry this year, from just 430 in 2023, says Morocco's cannabis regulator, or ANRAC. And legal production surged to nearly 4,200 tonnes last year, a 14-fold increase over the first harvest in 2023. Still, the black market remains dominant and lucrative due to demand for recreational use from Europe and regionally in Africa, potentially undermining efforts to fully regulate the sector. Morocco has 5,800 hectares (14,300 acres) of legally planted land, according to ANRAC. That's dwarfed by illegal cultivation spanning over 27,100 hectares, Interior Ministry data shows. While many farmers still choose illicit cultivation, they face the risk of increased crackdowns by authorities, which led to the seizure of 249 tonnes of cannabis resin by September last year, up 48% from all of 2023, according to the Interior Ministry. Mohammed Azzouzi, 52, spent three years in hiding for cannabis-related charges before receiving a royal pardon along with over 4,800 others last year. Now, he is preparing for his first legal harvest and hopes to earn more than the 10,000 dirhams ($1,100) he used to make in the illegal economy each year. RED TAPE The country's prohibition on growing cannabis for leisure use, along with bureaucratic red tape, limit legal farming, with every stage of the supply chain requiring a specific license from ANRAC, discouraging many a farmer from making the switch. A grower who wants to cultivate legally needs to join a licensed cooperative, which buys the farmer's product and processes it into derivatives or sells the resin to other licensed manufacturers. Talbi's cooperative, Biocannat, near the town of Bab Berred, 300 km (186 miles) north of Rabat, bought about 200 tonnes of cannabis last year from some 200 farmers, processing it into resin, supplements, capsules, oils and powders for medical and cosmetic purposes. About 60 km east of Biocannat, in the main producing area of Issaguen, farmer Mohamed El Mourabit was initially hopeful about the legalisation plan in 2021, but is less so now. "The process is too complicated," he said. And money talks, as well, for many farmers, who are lured by the higher rewards of the black market, despite its risks. While cooperatives take months to pay farmers about 50 dirhams per kilogram for the raw plant, on the illicit market, processed cannabis resin can fetch up to 2,500 dirhams per kilogram, farmers and activists say. To close that gap, legalisation advocates say growing for recreational use should be allowed, too. But it's not clear whether that will happen soon. Mohamed Guerrouj, head of ANRAC, said legalising recreational use would only be considered within a medical framework. "The goal is to develop Morocco's pharmaceutical industry ... not coffee shops," he said. REUTERS
Straits Times
15 hours ago
- Straits Times
12 motorists nabbed for providing illegal private-hire services: LTA
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox LTA said it is ramping up enforcement against such illegal services for the sake of passenger safety and the interests of licensed drivers. SINGAPORE – Twelve motorists were caught providing illegal private-hire services during an enforcement operation last week, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA). Such illegal services include providing unlicensed point-to-point transport and illegal cross-border services. Four of these motorists were booked near Punggol Road and Turf Club Avenue, said LTA on July 29. All vehicles were impounded. LTA said it is ramping up enforcement against such illegal services for the sake of passenger safety and the interests of licensed drivers. It will conduct regular patrols and follow up on tip-offs from the National Private Hire Vehicles Association. To offer taxi or private-hire car services here, all motorists must have a Public Service Vehicle Licence. Malaysia-registered taxis must also have an Asean Public Service Vehicle Permit. LTA warned the public not to engage illegal private ride-hailing services as motorists may not hold relevant licences or have proper insurance coverage to protect their passengers if an accident occurs. 'Your journey may be disrupted if the illegal service you're using is caught in our enforcement ops,' the agency warned . Since 2022, 104 drivers have been caught providing illegal cross-border passenger transport services using foreign-registered vehicles. Those found guilty of providing illegal ride-hailing services may be fined up to $3,000, jailed for up to six months, or both. Their vehicles may also be impounded and forfeited.
Straits Times
15 hours ago
- Straits Times
Iran denies Trump's claim that it gave Hamas ‘orders' in Gaza talks
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox US President Donald Trump said the Iranians had 'interjected themselves in this last negotiation' between Israel and Hamas. - Iran said on July 29 it had not interfered in negotiations aimed at securing a ceasefire in Gaza, after US President Donald Trump claimed Tehran had issued 'orders' to Palestinian group Hamas. Mr Trump, speaking to reporters on July 28 during a visit to Scotland, said the Iranians had 'interjected themselves in this last negotiation' between Israel and Hamas, which ended last week with no breakthrough. 'I think they got involved in this negotiation, telling Hamas, giving Hamas signals and orders and that's not good,' Mr Trump said without elaborating. Iran, a close ally and backer of Hamas, dismissed Mr Trump's remarks as 'absolutely baseless'. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei called the claim 'a form of projection and evasion of responsibility and accountability' on the US President's part. According to Mr Baqaei, Hamas negotiators 'do not need the intervention of third parties' as the group 'recognises and pursues the interests of the oppressed people of Gaza in the most appropriate manner'. The latest round of indirect negotiations, mediated by the US, Egypt and Qatar, was held earlier in July in Doha but failed to secure a truce deal. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Terrorism threat in Singapore remains high, driven by events like Israeli-Palestinian conflict: ISD Singapore Online platforms have halved time it takes for Singaporeans to be self-radicalised: ISD Singapore 7, including child and firefighter, taken to hospital after fire breaks out in Toa Payoh flat Singapore ICA inspector obtained bribes in the form of sex acts from 6 foreign men in exchange for his help Singapore Doctor who forged certificates for aesthetic procedures gets 4 months' jail Life Alone but not lonely: Tips from seniors who live solo and like it Asia Extreme weather turns Beijing into rain trap; 30 killed, over 80,000 evacuated Singapore ST Podcasts Live: Share your ideas at The Fashion Pulpit on how to cope with rising temperatures Israel and Hamas have accused each other of failing to compromise on key issues to end the nearly 22-month war. In June, Israel launched a surprise offensive on its staunch rival Iran, targeting key nuclear and military sites but also hitting residential areas. The US briefly joined the conflict, striking Iranian nuclear facilities, while Tehran fought back with missile and drone attacks. Mr Trump said on July 28 that since its 12-day war with Israel ended, Iran has been sending 'very bad signals ', without specifying in what regard. He was possibly referring to nuclear negotiations with Washington that had been derailed by the conflict, or to Iran's support for militant groups in the region, which the US and its allies see as a threat. Mr Baqaei in turn urged the US to 'stop sending deadly weapons to the occupying regime', meaning Washington's close ally Israel, and force it to 'stop the genocide, allow humanitarian aid to enter' the Gaza Strip. AFP
